The Guards Division had been involved in heavy fighting since the Somme offensive began in
July 1916. On the morning of September 15th Pte F R Digby stood with his comrades in
waterlogged trenches waiting for the whistle to signal the begining of
one more advance. The Guards Division had been ordered to capture the town of Lesboeufs, a community
situated 6 miles ahead of them and defended in depth by woods and a stubborn and well armed
enemy.

All of those men waiting the call to arms on that fateful day must have been mindful of
the 20,000 comrades who died in a similar frontal asssault when the Somme offensive first began
earlier in July. The attack's preceding barrage was considerable, but the advance slow, and it
would be ten days of hard combat before the Guards eventually took their objective on September
25th. Sadly it was on this day in 1916 that Pte F R Digby from Milton Malsor gave up his life
for King and Country. The 2nd Grenediers lost 40 officers and men on that day and they were
all buried in the Lesboeufs Cemetery.